Though this was our “third” day of our vacation it felt like our first real day. We woke up feeling relaxed and not having to worry really about getting places, packing and unpacking, getting our bearings etc. After a long semester where I had to constantly think 10 steps ahead of myself, plan my time to the minute, and worry about how I was going to get everything done this was a WONDERFUL feeling.

We got up, grabbed a plate of breakfast at Cabanas and took it up on deck 10 to watch the waves, feel the wind in our hair, and soak up the sun. We literally wanted to take in whatever sunshine we could before heading back up north! There are overflow tables up on deck 10 directly in front of Palo and above the normal Cabana outdoor eating area. They are usually unclaimed and have a beautiful view. You need to grab silverware on your way up, though. On most days we really enjoyed this spot whether for meals, for watching the boat pull in and out of ports, watching the waves, or picture taking. On particularly rocky or windy days, though, it’s not the most enjoyable location!

After breakfast we caught the second animation class going on. They were just finishing how to draw Mickey and we joined in for Goofy. These were family classes and people of all ages were there. The cruise staff hostess was very good about explaining things, going slow, and accommodating people of all ability levels. She also went around and admired everyone’s work with positive things to say at the end and stressed the point of it taking practice to get your drawing the way you want it and that she herself had to draw the characters over and over before she got the hang of it. It was different than the animation sessions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as it was much more informal, personal, and casual.

We had some time before the next activity we wanted to do so we decided to check out Cove Cafe (an 18+ coffee lounge near the adult pool). We decided to order frozen cappuccinos and were told about their “Buy 5 get 1 free” stamp cards. Make sure you get one of these if you buy a coffee here (they should offer them to you). There is free coffee on the ship, in the dining rooms and up on deck with the sodas but the coffee on deck and in Cabanas is not good. In the dining rooms and from room service it is fine (probably because it is actually brewed), but sometimes it was good to get a nice coffee from Cove Cafe, just remember to get your card stamped each time!

After enjoying our frozen cappuccinos up on deck, we went to the “You Can Cook” adults only cooking demonstration. There were three of these during our cruise and we went to two of them (we were at Palo brunch for the other). If you are able to get some alone time while the kids are in the kids clubs or if you are traveling without children I highly recommend these. For each demonstration one of the chef’s from the ship takes you step by step through cooking one of the dishes. They give out great cooking tips along the way and you get to sample the dish as they finish up. Along with the sample, they also gave a sample glass of wine that paired well with the dish and gave you the recipe in order to replicate it at home.

This demonstration was for lobster ravioli. I have always seen lobster ravioli served with a creamy sauce, however, this one was served with a thin tomato broth which I liked much better! It cut the richness of the dish and also brought out the flavor of the lobster rather than masking it (in my opinion, at least). They also had fried basil leaves for garnish and chunks of lobster meat in the broth. Delicious! I don’t remember much about the wine except that it was white and paired well.

After the demonstration we went up on deck to watch the boat pull into Key West (we were on schedule but it was a late port day with debarkation at 12:30). We filled our water bottles, got on some sunscreen, and split some chicken fingers from Pete’s Broiler Bites. We had brought our own Swell bottles with us and were glad we did. We use them on a regular basis at home and absolutely love them. You can bring a coffee to work in them and it will still be hot mid to late afternoon as long as you keep it tightly! Definitely a good investment.

No pictures for this morning, which I kind of regret, but there will be some from the afternoon!

Next Up: Exploring Key West and My Aquadunk Experience!

Enjoying this trip report? Looking to plan your own trip on the Disney Cruise Line or to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or Aulani? Contact me at m.pigden@magicalvacationplanner.comto let me help you plan your next magical and memorable vacation. I can help take the hassle out of reservations, give you information and recommendations, and book everything including dining so that you don’t have to wake up early or spend time on hold! All at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you! Contact me today for a FREE no obligation quote at m.pigden@magicalvacationplanner.com!